Method of manufacturing uncommon form solder wires

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing uncommon forms of solder wire without grease or lubricant is provided. The uncommon forms of solder wire is manufactured first by getting a winding rod which can be installed on or removed off the winding machine rapidly, then, obtaining solder wire, and winding the solder wire around the winding rod. Subsequently, fixing the shape as needed and cut the wound solder wire with cutting jigs. Finally, making dotted-line punches for flux to flow out easily, if necessary, and further adjusting the shifted incision gap of each solder wire piece accordingly to the needed shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to methods of manufacturing uncommon forms solder wires without grease or lubricant. It is particularly related to mass production methods of manufacturing solder wires of specific forms or profiles without grease or lubricant.

2. Description of Related Art

Uncommon form solder wires are usually formed manually piece by piece with hand tools or dedicated jigs. Alternatively, some manufacture uncommon form solder wires with winding machines. First of all, they wind solder wire into spiral single round strings (like pressed common curl springs). Then, cut the spiral strings straightly along the string direction and manually adjust the shape and the incision gap after cut off. It is common to manufacture solder wires in round, C-shape, and other geometric forms. The uncommon form solder wires can also be manufactured with common press machines (such as traditional flying wheel, air-compressed, hydro, desktop, and/or etc.), slide-forming machines, bending machines, chain machines, and/or other machines with proper tools.

However, there are many drawbacks with the methods mentioned above. First of all, for the mentioned manual methods, the labor and time cost is high, but the output rate is low. Secondly, for the uncommon form solder wires built with winding machines, there is a gap on both the cut-off region and the cross section. Therefore, the shape may not fully meet the needs and manually adjustments will be needed. Such manual operations will result in high labor and time cost but relatively low output rate.

Further, when making the uncommon form solder wires with machines and tools mentioned above, grease or lubricant is required to activate machine operations and ensure smooth materials supply. However, since the uncommon form solder wires will be used in soldering, any step of the process polluted with grease and/or lubricant will fail the soldering operations. Even with evaporating grease, tiny amount of grease may still remain and affect the soldering effect. In this case, as a result the defect rate of the soldering process is high.

Furthermore, if degreasing processes is used to wash off grease and/or lubricant, since the solder wire is very soft in its nature, the formed solder wire pieces would be distorted. The flux embedded inside solder wire can be damaged or be washed off so that its soldering functions could be damaged or be failed.

If grease and/or lubricant are not applied on tools or material conveyer, tiny particles may be generated and attached on tools or material conveyer, and the production will be affected when these particles accumulate.

If grease, lubricant, and/or other thermal reduction facilities are not applied, the temperature on the surface of those members contacting raw materials and tools may arise due to frictions so that the production may slow down. However, adding thermal control facilities onto tools and machines may not be cost efficient.

In addition, thermal reduction solution (or coolant) used on solder wiring machines does not provide good lubricant functions. Because the designs of forming machines are very different from solder wiring machines, the forming machines are not capable of keeping the thermal reduction solution well circulated. The coolant very so often will be evaporated or flushed out. Redesigning forming machines to recycle coolant will not be cost efficient either.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing uncommon forms of solder wires without grease to overcome the shortcomings of conventional methods. The costs of modifying equipments can be saved. The labor and time can be reduced. The yield rate and production capacity will be highly improved.

To achieve the aforementioned advantages, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing uncommon forms of solder wires without greases. The method includes preparing a rod, obtaining solder wire (usually wound on a spool), fixing one end of the solder wire on the rod, winding solder wire onto the rod from the solder spool with the winding machine, and removing the rod with solder wire wound by a winding machine. The rod can be installed on and removed from a winding machine easily. Thus it can be replaced with a new one rapidly during manufacturing.

Then, put the winding rod of designated profile wound with solder wire on a cutting jig. Cut the solder wire into pieces. Each of them is of the designated profile but with a gap at the cut-off section. Afterwards, adjust the gap at the cut-off section of each piece and removing all pieces off the rod. Every piece (probably not the pieces at two ends on the rod) is of the designated geometric shape.

The advantages of the present invention are as follows.

There is no need to use lubricant or grease on solder wire during manufacturing. It is no need to use machines needing grease or lubricant for operation so that there is no risk for the solder wires to be polluted with grease or lubricant. Since degreasing processes for the manufactured uncommon forms of solder wire will not be necessary. Poor soldering resulted from grease or lubricant will not exist in the post processes. Besides, deformation issues resulted from degreasing processes will be avoided as well.

The adjusting jig provides the function of adjusting and fixing gap of each cut solder wire piece.

The present invention can ensure quick and continuous production to increase production output.

The devices provided in the present invention require very low setup and tune up costs. All necessary devices, even for a complete production line, can be duplicated in a relatively short time. The small particles, tiny bits, and/or sticky flux dust do not fall off during the forming processes as they were with the old production methods and environments. Heat generated during old manufacturing method will not occur in the present invention. Thus, the good output rate is increased and the maintenance cost of production devices is reduced.

To further understand the features and technical contents of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings related to the present invention. However, the drawings are for illustration purpose only instead of limiting the efficacy of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing uncommon form solder wires without grease or lubricant of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a replaceable winding rod of the present invention to manufacture round shape solder wires;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a replaceable winding rod of the present invention to manufacture square shape solder wires;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative perspective view of another preferred embodiment of a replaceable winding rod of the present invention to manufacture arbitrary shape solder wires;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a cutting jig and a cutter of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative 2-D cross-sectional view of a cutting jig and an adjustment tool of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the cutting jig of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative perspective view of an adjustment tool of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a squeezing device of the present invention; and

FIGS. 10-14 are illustrative perspective views of various uncommon form solder wires of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1. A method of manufacturing uncommon form solder wires without grease or lubricant of the present invention includes the following steps. Get a winding rod 1 (as the illustration examples shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 or of customized design), wherein the winding rod 1 can be installed on or removed from the winding machine rapidly. The profile of the winding rod 1 can be changed according to the design of needed forms such circular, square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or other geometric shapes. The winding rod 1 may be composed of different removable components, such as an insert 12 (as the illustration sample shown in FIG. 4). After the insert 12 had been removed from the winding rod 1, the profile of solder wire can be adjusted accordingly to the main body of winding rod 1 with profile of cross, asteroid, or other geometric shapes.

Then, retain solder wire (usually wound and packaged on a spool). Fix one end into the fixing hole 11 on the winding rod 1, wherein the wire diameter and the profile section of solder wire 2 can be various. Flux can be injected into solder wire 2 or can be applied on the surface of solder wire 2 before, during, or after this process.

Further, the wind solder wire 2 around the winding rod 1 (as shown in FIG. 3) with a winding machine and make solder wire 2 into a spiral round string around the rod. Then solder wire 2 will be of the designated shape according to the profile of winding rod 1.

According to the designated form of solder wire, remove the insert 12 from winding rod 1 and adjust the wound solder wire shape accordingly with insert 12 and the hollow spaces of the removed insert 12 on winding rod 1. The shape of uncommon form solder wire 7 can be therefore formed into the designated shapes.

Fix winding rod 1 on a cutting jig 3 (as illustration sample shown in FIG. 5), wherein the cutting jig 3 includes a hollow housing 31 and an underneath base set 32. The housing 31 includes a first protection cover 311 and a second protection cover 312. The size, shape, and position of the second protection cover 312 is designed according to the first protection cover 311, and all components of the cutting jig 3 is built to well fit for winding rod 1 wound with solder wire 2. Thus, the cutting jig 3 can well protect the wound wire on rod 1 from deforming during cutting and ensure correct adjustment of the incision gap of each uncommon form solder wire 7.

Cut wound solder wire 2 on winding rod 1 into individual pieces with a cutter 4 accordingly. The cutter 4 can be of any cutting tool as long as it meets the need. A cutter 4 such as a pizza knife, a spice knife, or any special cutting tool (as illustration shown in FIG. 5) is acceptable. The groove 33 on cutting jig 3 functions as a fixed route for cutter 4 to ensure a straight cut on solder wire 2 wound on winding rod 1. Moreover, the blade edge 41 on cutter 4 can be customized to provide the functions of dotted-line punches or similar continuous small cut-offs on solder wire for imbedded flux to flow out easily during the post processes. The cut pieces will still remain on winding rod 1.

Next, adjust cutting gap on each piece of uncommon form solder wire 7. Put one adjusting jig 5 (as illustration shown in FIG. 8) at one end of the cutting jig 3 (as illustration shown in FIG. 6) of either protection cover 311 or 312. Put another adjusting 5 at the opposite end of the other protection cover (312 or 311). Push both adjusting jigs 5 slightly towards each other to close the shift gap of each solder wire piece. The adjusting jigs 5 are composed of the first rectangular block 51 of height H which approximately equals to the wire diameter of solder wire. The second rectangular block 52 is a mirrored block of the first rectangular 51. The dimension L of the adjusting jigs 5 is about the same to the wire radius of solder wire. Thus, when to close the shifted gap of each formed solder wire piece, each adjusting jig 5 is installed at one end of the cut solder wire pieces on rod 1 and, then, pushed towards the other adjusting jig 5. Either side of the cut-off gap of individual solder wire piece will be therefore shifted for dimension L (equals to radius of solder wire) towards the other side of the cut-off gap so that the cutting gap of each uncommon form solder wire 7 can be fixed easily with relatively cost efficient jigs.

Additionally, the cutting gaps may be adjusted with other methods. For instance, both protection cover 311 and 312 of cutting jig 3 (as shown in FIG. 7) can be removed from and shifted on the base 32. Stoppers 36 are added at each end at the inner side of the protection cover 311 and 312. Scales 35 are marked on the side of protection cover 311, protection cover 312, and associated location of base 32. By sliding protection cover 311 and 312 towards counter directions, the stopper 36 will push the cut uncommon form solder wire pieces 7 to fix the cutting gaps. Scale 35 provides convenience for the operator to easily tell how much the gaps have been fixed. Moreover, a lever mechanism can be added onto either protection cover 311 or 312 for easier operations to fix the cutting gaps.

If necessary, the formed solder wires can be pressed or flattened with a squeezing device 6 (as illustration shown in FIG. 9). The strength and the hardness of formed solder wires can be increased along with squeezing operations. Besides the mentioned operations with a squeezing device 6, the strength and the hardness can be increased with desktop punches, stamping machines, or other devices. Designed deformation on solder wires 2 or uncommon form solder wire pieces 7 can increase the strength and the hardness accordingly as well. The cut and adjusted solder wire pieces will still remain on winding rod 1 by now.

Afterwards, remove cut uncommon form solder wire 7 of designed geometric shape from winding rod 1. The manufacture of uncommon form solder wire pieces 7 has been done.

Please refer to FIG. 10 through FIG. 14 for more illustration samples of uncommon form solder wires 7 of different geometric shapes. The geometric shapes of uncommon form solder wire 7 are not limited. Particularly, uncommon form solder wire 7 can be a single loop of circular, square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, crisscross, asteroid, or other geometric profiles. The number of loops of uncommon form solder wire 7 can be multiple too.

The present invention provides the following advantages.

First of all, it is not necessary to use lubricant or grease during manufacturing on devices or on materials. The costs of lubricant and grease, cleaning processes, and deformation scraps during cleaning processes can be saved. The sorting costs and the rework costs of poor soldering due to remained lubricant and grease can be saved too.

Secondly, the adjusting jig simplifies the adjustment of incision gaps. The present invention ensures rapid and continuous production so that production capacity will be increased.

Additionally, the finished uncommon form solder wire pieces are of stable quality. The yield rate of good output is much higher and the scrap rate is much lower than conventional manufacturing methods. Defectives can be detected easily. The initial setup and subsequent maintenance costs of needed equipment are low. The space for production line is very limited and the costs of duplicating new production lines are low.

Finally, lead time for initial set up of need equipment is very short, usually within a few days. The learning curves of operators are short with low training costs. New and inexperienced operators can be familiar with the operations within hours.

What have been disclosed are the specifications and drawings of preferred embodiments of the present invention for illustration purpose instead of limiting the present invention to the embodiments disclosed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various equivalent changes and/or derives may be made based on the specifications and drawings of the present invention will not depart from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A method of manufacturing uncommon forms solder wires without grease or lubricant comprises: supplying a winding rod of profile same to the designated geometric shape of uncommon form solder wires, wherein the rod can be installed on or removed from the winding machine rapidly; providing solder wire and fixing one end of the solder wire on the winding rod; winding solder wire around the winding rod with a winding machine to make solder wire into a spiral round string around the rod; fixing the winding rod with solder wire onto a cutting jig; cutting solder wire wound on the winding rod with a cutter; and adjusting the incision gap of each cut solder wire piece.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile of the winding rod is circular, square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or of other geometric shapes.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding rod is composed of replaceable inserts and the profile of the winding rod main body is of designated geometric shape such as cross, asteroid, or combination of basic geometric shapes when the inserts are removed from the winding rod.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inserts are removable from the winding rod and the shape of wound solder wire can be adjusted to fit the profile of the main body of the winding rod with hand tools or customized adjustment jigs.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting jig is composed of single or multiple protection covers, a base set, and some adjustment inserts or tools; and the hollow inner space and shape of the cutting jig should match up the rod wound with solder wire firmly according to the designated shape of uncommon form solder wire pieces so that the wound solder wire will be well protected from deformation during cutting processes.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the adjusting jigs are placed at both ends of the winding rod in the cutting jig; and push both adjustment jigs towards each other to adjust the incision gap of each uncommon form solder wire piece.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjusting jig includes single or multiple protection covers; the inner height of the protection cover equals to the sum of the rod diameter and two times of the solder wire diameter; and the length of the inner room of the protection cover to hold the rod wound with solder wire includes a space or a function to adjust incision gap of each uncommon form solder wire pieces on the winding rod after cutting process.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cutting jig includes two protection covers which can hold the cut solder wire pieces firmly on the winding rod and can be slid to adjust and close the incision gap of all uncommon form solder wire pieces on the winding rod simultaneously.
 9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a groove on the cutting jig for the cutter to assure a straight line cut along the groove during cutting and to assure the safety of the operator from being cut.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprises a groove on the cutting jig for a straight cut on the winding rod wound with solder wire; and the cutter can be customized to provide the functions of cut off, dotted-line punches, or similar continuous tiny incisions on the wound solder wire.
 11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solder wire of designated geometric shape is manufactured to be flattened or to be deformed from traditional appearance in order to increased strength, hardness, and rigidity of solder wire.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solder wire is made of metal, metal alloy, or metal compound for soldering processes.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the solder wire contains flux during manufacturing processes or coated with flux in the subsequent processes.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprises an automatic machine station to substitute manual operations. 